The Better Chancery Practice Blog

What do all these professional Mississippi musicians have in common?

John Alexander, Metropolitan Opera star

Steve Forbert, singer songwriter

George Atwood, bass player for Buddy Holly

Ty Herndon, country singer

Paul Overstreet, country singer songwriter

Julian Patrick, Broadway and Metropolitan Opera singer

Moe Bandy, country music singer songwriter

Eddie Houiston, southern soul singer

Don Poythress, country and gospel singer songwriter

Clay Barnes, guitarist for Steve Forbert and Willie Nile, session artist for the Who

Bobby Jay, rock and roll, soul and R & B musician 

Carey Bell, blues harmonica player for Muddy Waters

Duke Jericho, blues organist for BB King

David Ruffin, member of the Temptations

Cleo Brown, blues, boogie and jazz pianist and vocalist

Sherman Johnson radio show host and juke joint owner

Pat Brown, southern soul R & B singer

John Kennedy, country bmusic songwriter

Jimmy Ruffin, R & B and soul singer, recorded “What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted?”

Mike Compton, bluegrass mandolin player featured on soundtrack of “O, Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Cap King, blues musician

Patrick Sansone, guitarist for Wilco and Autumn Defense

George Soulé, singer songwriter

Lovie Lee, blues singer

George Cummings, composer, guitarist

Paul Davis, singer songwriter

Scott McQuaig, country music singer songwriter

Brain Stephens, drummer

Chris Ethridge bass guitarist for Flying Burrito Brothers, Willie Nelson and International Submarine Band

Elsie McWilliams, songwriter, Country Music Hall of Fame

Ernest Stewart, blues singer

Patrice Moncell, blues, soul, jazz and gospel vocalist

Dudley Tardo, drummer for the House Rockers, featured in the movie “Last of the Mississippi Jukes”

Rosser Emerson, blues musician

Steve Moore, country and rock guitarist

Cooney Vaughn, blues pianist

William Butler Fielder, jazz trumpeter and professor of music at Rutgers University

Theresa Needham, Chicago blues club owner

Hayley Williams, lead singer for Paramore

Alvin Fielder, jazz drummer

Duke Otis, band leader

Al Wilson, soul singer and drummer

Jimmie Rodgers, father of country music, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame

   

If you haven’t figured it out by now … every one of them is from Meridian.  And Meridian is not unique in our state.  Mississippi’s musical legacy is phenomenal.